How to Shop for Emeralds
Consider the emerald's hue., Look for a deep tonal color., Pick out an emerald with strong saturation., Consider the cut., Expect inclusions., Look at the inclusion ranking from the GIA., Ask about the oiling process or other clarity enhancements...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Consider the emerald's hue.
Hue refers to the purity of an emerald's color, and it is one of three points to consider regarding color quality.
Most emeralds have a blue-green tint, while others may have a yellow-green tint.
The most valuable have little to no tint, however, and are as pure green as possible. -
Step 2: Look for a deep tonal color.
Tonal color refers to the lightness or darkness of an emerald.
Natural emeralds range from very light to very dark, and the most valuable emeralds generally fall on the darker end of the scale.
High quality emeralds generally have a tonal color that falls between medium to very dark. , Saturation refers to the strength of an emerald's color, and it is, perhaps, the most important aspect of color quality.
A richer saturation means more brilliance, which means that the emerald reflects light better.
Weak saturation will cause an emerald to look dull and flat. , No one shape is inherently more valuable than another, but some cuts may reflect light more easily.
The rectangular "emerald" cut is, unsurprisingly, the most common for emeralds.
Round, oval, pear, teardrop, and cabochon cuts are also fairly common.
In addition to maintaining a high degree of brilliance, emerald cuts allow gem cutters to yield the most saleable product from the rough crystal. , Emeralds are a Type III gemstone, as rated by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
This means that nearly all emeralds will have some inclusions, due to the softness of the stone.
Opt for emeralds with interior inclusions rather than surface or near-surface inclusions, since interior inclusions are less likely to cause the stone to break later on. , The GIA rates emeralds from VVS to I3.
VVS (Very, Very Slightly Included) emeralds have inclusions that are identifiable under magnification but not to the naked eye.
VS (Very Slightly Included) emeralds have inclusions that are obvious with magnification and detectable by the naked eye.
Sl1 and Sl2 (Slightly Included) emeralds have prominent inclusions that are obvious to the naked eye.
I1, I2, and I3 (Included) emeralds have inclusions that are large enough to potentially affect the gemstone's appearance and durability in a negative manner.
Note that the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) and American Gemological Laboratories (AGL) each have separate yet accepted grading systems.
Familiarize yourself with these systems if the jeweler you visit adopts these, instead. , Clarity enhancements help seal some of the fissures and inclusions in an emerald, and are considered perfectly acceptable.
Verify that a clear treatment is used, since green-tinted treatments may be used to cover up or disguise a problem with the emerald's color quality.
Traditional enhancements use cedar oil or other similar, clear oils.
Emeralds treated with oil may need to be retreated once the oil dries out.
Man-made epoxies and resins are another acceptable emerald treatment.
These treatments wear out less easily but can wear away if exposed to high temperatures. , Larger emeralds have more carats, but they also cost a lot more because a large emerald is considerably more difficult to mine.
Most individuals find it easier to spot the quality of a large emerald.
As a result, a large high-quality may look even more beautiful than a small high-quality emerald, but the flaws of a large low-quality emerald will also be more obvious. , The finest emeralds typically come from three Colombian mines:
Muzo, Chivor, and Coscuez.
Other high-quality emeralds are mined in Brazil, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Madagascar, Nigeria, Russia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Ask each jeweler where his or her company gets its emeralds. , In many cases, emeralds from a specific mine share similar qualities.
Emeralds from the Muzo mine are usually a deep green with a slight trace of yellow or blue.
These emeralds often have mineral parasites that appear as yellow-brown or red-brown needles.
Emeralds from the Coscuez mine often have a faint hint of blue and have an intense saturation.
Emeralds from the Chivor mine have deep blue tints and often have two phase tubular inclusions.
Spiral inclusions are also common to all Colombian emeralds. , Emeralds have a hardness that ranges from
7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, making them relatively hard stones that are still capable of breaking if handled poorly.
To ensure longevity of your emerald, you should choose settings that surround the stone with metal and offer a high level of protection.
Bezel settings and V-prong settings are especially good. , Emeralds created in a lab share all the physical and chemical properties that natural emeralds have.
Many consider these emeralds to be less valuable, but you can find a large carat emerald with high-quality color and clarity for an affordable price if you opt for a lab-created stone. , Some companies buy large quantities of stones at cheap, wholesale prices and resell these stones individually with little markup.
Instead of buying finished pieces of emerald jewelry, buy loose stones from trusted retail wholesalers online and have a piece custom made.
This option often proves more affordable and may allow for greater customization. , Look for large chain stores and individual sellers that offer certification from the GIA, AGTA, AGL, or other widely accepted and reliable gemological societies. , Natural emeralds are fairly rare, so many jewelers hesitate to sell them at large discounts.
If you run across a seller offering high discounts on natural emeralds, you may want to second guess their credibility. -
Step 3: Pick out an emerald with strong saturation.
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Step 4: Consider the cut.
-
Step 5: Expect inclusions.
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Step 6: Look at the inclusion ranking from the GIA.
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Step 7: Ask about the oiling process or other clarity enhancements.
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Step 8: Decide on an appropriate carat weight.
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Step 9: Find out where an emerald comes from before you buy it.
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Step 10: Know the peculiarities of emeralds from popular mines.
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Step 11: Choose a sturdy setting.
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Step 12: Consider a lab-created emerald.
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Step 13: Look into buying loose wholesale gemstones.
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Step 14: Only buy from trustworthy jewelers.
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Step 15: Be wary of discounts when buying natural emeralds.
Detailed Guide
Hue refers to the purity of an emerald's color, and it is one of three points to consider regarding color quality.
Most emeralds have a blue-green tint, while others may have a yellow-green tint.
The most valuable have little to no tint, however, and are as pure green as possible.
Tonal color refers to the lightness or darkness of an emerald.
Natural emeralds range from very light to very dark, and the most valuable emeralds generally fall on the darker end of the scale.
High quality emeralds generally have a tonal color that falls between medium to very dark. , Saturation refers to the strength of an emerald's color, and it is, perhaps, the most important aspect of color quality.
A richer saturation means more brilliance, which means that the emerald reflects light better.
Weak saturation will cause an emerald to look dull and flat. , No one shape is inherently more valuable than another, but some cuts may reflect light more easily.
The rectangular "emerald" cut is, unsurprisingly, the most common for emeralds.
Round, oval, pear, teardrop, and cabochon cuts are also fairly common.
In addition to maintaining a high degree of brilliance, emerald cuts allow gem cutters to yield the most saleable product from the rough crystal. , Emeralds are a Type III gemstone, as rated by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
This means that nearly all emeralds will have some inclusions, due to the softness of the stone.
Opt for emeralds with interior inclusions rather than surface or near-surface inclusions, since interior inclusions are less likely to cause the stone to break later on. , The GIA rates emeralds from VVS to I3.
VVS (Very, Very Slightly Included) emeralds have inclusions that are identifiable under magnification but not to the naked eye.
VS (Very Slightly Included) emeralds have inclusions that are obvious with magnification and detectable by the naked eye.
Sl1 and Sl2 (Slightly Included) emeralds have prominent inclusions that are obvious to the naked eye.
I1, I2, and I3 (Included) emeralds have inclusions that are large enough to potentially affect the gemstone's appearance and durability in a negative manner.
Note that the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) and American Gemological Laboratories (AGL) each have separate yet accepted grading systems.
Familiarize yourself with these systems if the jeweler you visit adopts these, instead. , Clarity enhancements help seal some of the fissures and inclusions in an emerald, and are considered perfectly acceptable.
Verify that a clear treatment is used, since green-tinted treatments may be used to cover up or disguise a problem with the emerald's color quality.
Traditional enhancements use cedar oil or other similar, clear oils.
Emeralds treated with oil may need to be retreated once the oil dries out.
Man-made epoxies and resins are another acceptable emerald treatment.
These treatments wear out less easily but can wear away if exposed to high temperatures. , Larger emeralds have more carats, but they also cost a lot more because a large emerald is considerably more difficult to mine.
Most individuals find it easier to spot the quality of a large emerald.
As a result, a large high-quality may look even more beautiful than a small high-quality emerald, but the flaws of a large low-quality emerald will also be more obvious. , The finest emeralds typically come from three Colombian mines:
Muzo, Chivor, and Coscuez.
Other high-quality emeralds are mined in Brazil, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Madagascar, Nigeria, Russia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Ask each jeweler where his or her company gets its emeralds. , In many cases, emeralds from a specific mine share similar qualities.
Emeralds from the Muzo mine are usually a deep green with a slight trace of yellow or blue.
These emeralds often have mineral parasites that appear as yellow-brown or red-brown needles.
Emeralds from the Coscuez mine often have a faint hint of blue and have an intense saturation.
Emeralds from the Chivor mine have deep blue tints and often have two phase tubular inclusions.
Spiral inclusions are also common to all Colombian emeralds. , Emeralds have a hardness that ranges from
7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, making them relatively hard stones that are still capable of breaking if handled poorly.
To ensure longevity of your emerald, you should choose settings that surround the stone with metal and offer a high level of protection.
Bezel settings and V-prong settings are especially good. , Emeralds created in a lab share all the physical and chemical properties that natural emeralds have.
Many consider these emeralds to be less valuable, but you can find a large carat emerald with high-quality color and clarity for an affordable price if you opt for a lab-created stone. , Some companies buy large quantities of stones at cheap, wholesale prices and resell these stones individually with little markup.
Instead of buying finished pieces of emerald jewelry, buy loose stones from trusted retail wholesalers online and have a piece custom made.
This option often proves more affordable and may allow for greater customization. , Look for large chain stores and individual sellers that offer certification from the GIA, AGTA, AGL, or other widely accepted and reliable gemological societies. , Natural emeralds are fairly rare, so many jewelers hesitate to sell them at large discounts.
If you run across a seller offering high discounts on natural emeralds, you may want to second guess their credibility.
About the Author
Melissa Peterson
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow practical skills tutorials.
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